1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates to virtual computer-generated environments in which participants are represented by computer-generated avatars, and in particular for environments that simulate an actual 3-D environment and allow for simultaneous participation of multiple players.
2. Background
Computer generated virtual environments are increasingly popular methods for people, both real and automated, to interact within a networked system. The creation of virtualized worlds, three dimensional or otherwise, is well known. Simple text based adventures such as “Zork”, early “first person shooter” games such as “Doom”, and ultimately numerous highly complex environments such as “Halo” are well known in the art. Various on-line environments are known in which a 3-D physical world (actual or fantasy) is simulated. Environments of this type are sometimes referred to as “virtual reality” or “virtual reality universe” (VRU) environments.
In known VRU environments, an actual or fantasy universe is simulated within a computer memory. Multiple players may participate in the environment through a computer network, such as a local area network or a wide area network. Each player selects an “avatar,” which may comprise a three-dimensional figure of a man, woman, or other being, to represent them in the VRU environment. Players send inputs to a VRU engine to move their avatars around the VRU environment, and are able to cause interaction between their avatars and objects in the VRU. For example, a player's avatar may interact with an automated entity or person, simulated static objects, or avatars operated by other players.
The VRU may take the form of at least one area or environment which is a virtual-reality three-dimensional map existing in a computer memory, consisting of elements that may include but are not limited to representations of rooms, outdoor areas, exotic environments, objects, people, animals, robots, avatars, robot avatars, time elements, additional spatial elements, and activities. Users establish a presence in the VRU by creating or using an avatar, which is a three-dimensional representative of the user in the VRU, and which can be navigated by the user operating a remote client computer around various environments in the VRU. A view or views of the VRU are displayed to the user using a computer display and user interface software of the client as known in the art. Each user provides input commands to a computer controlling the VRU using an input device connected to a local node or client, which is in turn connected to the networked computer system. The VRU is shared by all players and participants, using elements from the common memory.
The computer system is used to control the action of the avatars in response to client input. For example, avatars may be limited to simply observing the environment or area. But usually, avatars can interact with some or all of: other avatars, objects, the environment (e.g., walls, floors, roads, lakes, etc.), and automated or robotic avatars within at least one environment. Interactions by one avatar with any other avatar, object, the environment or automated or robotic avatars may result in outcomes that may effect or can be otherwise observed or experienced by other avatars, objects, the environment, and automated or robotic avatars within the at least one environment of the VRU.
Typically, within VRU environments, when the client stops providing commands to direct the actions of the chosen avatar, the avatar ceases all affirmative action. In some environments, the avatar simply ceases all motion and movement. In other environments, the graphical representation of the avatar is pre-programmed to mimic an action a person might perform while waiting, such as tapping a foot or pacing. In some VRU environments, the avatar might continue to mimic the waiting action indefinitely. In others, following a predetermined amount of time for the inactivity, the VRU environment will automatically log the client out of the environment, making the avatar appear to suddenly vanish when viewed by other users within the environment.